This morning, an editorial in the Tribune attempted to cast opposition to the proposed O’Hare Flyer as NIMBY-ism, without any basis in fact.
The editorial had this to say, which reads like it was cribbed from the promotional materials of the private developer behind the project”
“Never mind that this train would be transformative for Chicago air travelers and move traffic from the Kennedy Expressway. Never mind that it is battery powered and whisper quiet, and the operators plan to move some of the existing track underground. Never mind that neighboring Forest Park is expected to get a station cutting travel time to the big airport to just a few minutes. Never mind that the train has to go somewhere. Adduci clearly will do all in her power to stop it.”
Never mind? Never mind the facts:
1. Nothing about the train would be “transformative”. That’s a subjective claim and currently in addition to private rideshares and taxis, both the Metra and the CTA Blue Line offer service to O’Hare. The proposed O’Hare Flyer would not trim costs, making it express an option for more people. It is slated to have costs similar, if not more than rideshare. It would serve a limited number of travelers–at a time when business travel is low and declining, and when tourism needs affordable options, not more “luxury”.
There are significant doubts about whether the project is even worthwhile as a private endeavor. Other cities that have private express service have not fared well in recent years. Toronto’s UP Express ran 90 percent empty within months and was rescued only by cutting fares from C$27.50 to C$12, both of which are far below the proposed fares for the O’Hare Flyer. The Heathrow Express carried 6.7 million riders in 2018–19 and under 4.3 million in 2024–25 once a cheaper public line opened. Brightline Florida’s auditors have raised substantial doubt about its survival under $5.85 billion of obligations. When these private enterprises fail, who picks up the tab? Often the taxpayers.
2. “Whisper quiet” is a term often repeated by the developer, to dispel the notion of noisy trains ripping through towns every 7.5 minutes. However, there is no such thing as a “whisper quiet” train. At the proposed speeds, the noise doesn’t have to come from engines (where they claim the electric aspect will reduce noise). It comes from ramming a train through airmass at high speed. The developers and the Tribune offer absolutely no empirical data regarding the noise that will be created by the express train. The developers claim it will be “quiet like a Tesla”. Well, if you’ve ever ridden in an electric car, you know that they are whisper quiet, in the driveway at 2mph. But how quiet are they on the highway at 80mph? They aren’t. Now scale that up to the size of a multi-car train. Whisper quiet is a promise that cannot be delivered.
3. “operators plan to move some of the existing track underground”. Very little of the planned project is proposed to be underground. And none of that includes the tracks that run through communities. Communities that won’t be served by the train, where the proposal is to elevate the tracks, which means they would still get the noise—along with the obstructed views from their homes and the shadows in their yards from the tracks.
4. “Never mind that neighboring Forest Park is expected to get a station”. The developers have absolutely not committed to a station in Forest Park. And what about the other communities along the route? Do they get stops as well? Despite Mayor Hoskins’ press releases, this is a canard. Adding stops to an express train 1) slow it down and 2) make it no longer express. The developers cannot add this (and other) stops and maintain an express route within their promised timetables.
5. “Never mind that the train has to go somewhere.” About that: public transit has two existing train services to O’Hare: the Metra North Central Service and the CTA Blue Line. The train already goes “somewhere”. Let’s improve those lines to provide express service.
Metra has served O’Hare Transfer since 1996, but with limited trains, because Canadian National will not add trains without capacity improvements. Metra’s executive director has said what frequent service needs: a flyover at the A-2 junction, crossovers and sidings between A-5 and B-12, luggage-friendly cars, and yard space. The study for improvements is already funded. Metra has ordered battery-electric trains. And the proposed Flyer would use the same Canadian National corridor north of Franklin Park. Instead of improving a public resource and regional transit—which would benefit *many* communities and Metra riders, the O’Hare Flyer project wants to cripple that resource for Metra. That is the real choice being offered: expensive private premium service or public capacity. Not both.
The Blue Line takes you to the terminal for $5. That’s far more affordable than the proposed O’Hare Flyer rates, making it accessible to far more people in Chicagoland. It also offers better transfer options when arriving in downtown Chicago. Yes, it is slow because of deferred maintenance. However, in July 2026 the CTA and IDOT agreed to fund the design of the first full rebuild of the branch since 1958. Finish that, eliminate slow zones on the O’Hare branch, and add cars with room for luggage, and the trip gets meaningfully faster for every rider. Not just those who can afford expensive private service.
Investment in existing public transportation options would result in an affordable, express service for all; this is what Mayor Johnson should be advocating and what the people of Chicagoland deserve.